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A market for custom digitally enlarged negs for Pt/Pd prints?

Talking with a friend who is known for his Platinum/Palladium printing and making enlarged digital negatives for the process. He is thinking of doing custom enlarged negatives and just starting to explore the idea. We talked about it a bit. I know some who would like do have them for their work but don't know if the numbers would be high enough to justify this as a business.

He has taught Pt/Pd workshops and written on the subject as well. He scans, enlarges and contact prints from the negatives and has it down well. The prints he makes are excellent. If he were doing it the savings from hit & miss, learning and a printer/inks may well be worth it for some. Getting a digital negative tailored to Pt/Pd printing without all the hassle would be worth it - I think - for some photographers.

At this point it is just an idea we are kicking around. Don't know if it will come about but it is a possibility. He is older and experienced and it would be a new venture for him.

Do you guys think there would be much interest in this type of service?

I tend to procrastinate on stuff. One of these days I'll do something about it.

Re: A market for custom digitally enlarged negs for Pt/Pd prints?

I do this on occasion for others, I primarily make silver negs for my personal work and a few select clients, but I also make inkjet negs for others doing cyanotypes and gums.

My observation is this... It will always be the originator of the film problem when the person in their darkroom cannot make a decent print... the only way to circumvent this would
be to provide a strip print (pt pd ) with the negative to prove that the film is good.
Human nature dictates this, I have seen this time and time again with assistants blaming everything but themselves when things go wrong...

But to answer your question I believe there is a definite need for this type of service, since I do create income from this but I am always extremely careful about the details.

Re: A market for custom digitally enlarged negs for Pt/Pd prints?

I personally wouldn't be into it because I know how changing the paper, size, UV source, etc. will change the requirements for the negative. So I would want more control, and I enjoy doing that part of the process myself anyway.

That being said, I could see how someone else might want that done. It takes a lot of time and experience to learn how to make a good digital negative for alternative processes. And I don't guess it would cost much to try to sell a few and see how big the market for them is. I say go for it and see what happens! It's a fairly limited risk with the potential for a decent payout. Those are generally the best kind of gambles to take.

Re: A market for custom digitally enlarged negs for Pt/Pd prints?

I encourage you to give it a try.

I would be interested in such a service and, as others have said, it would depend on cost; you would need to be quite competitive as there are quite a few places that offer such a service. On the other hand, you would probably be able to offer a more personalized service where others don't have the time or inclination to do so.
I prefer do do business with smaller entities where I get to know the person providing the service; I am pretty sure that I am not alone in thinking this way.